Nicole Kidman found herself at the center of new family speculation after fans noticed she excluded her older children, Isabella and Connor, from a recent Mother’s Day tribute.
The post reignited long-standing rumors about her relationship with the two adopted children, with a source sharing that things have “changed” since the actress’ recent divorce.
At the same time, insiders claim Keith Urban quietly struggles against the growing estrangement of the girls he shares with Nicole Kidman.
Nicole Kidman sparks backlash after excluding older kids from Mother’s Day tribute
Nicole Kidman sparked online debate after excluding her two eldest children, Isabella and Connor, from her recent Mother’s Day tribute.
The Oscar winner shared a sweet Instagram photo on Sunday featuring her daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, whom she shares with husband Keith Urban.
Alongside the image, Kidman wrote: “To my beautiful daughters, the greatest joy is being your mother. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in the world.”
The post quickly caught the attention of fans, many of whom wondered why her adopted children with ex-husband Tom Cruise weren’t included. “And the other two?” one follower commented.
Kidman adopted Isabella, now 33, and Connor, 31, during her marriage to Cruise. The actress has rarely been seen publicly with either child in more than a decade, fueling long-running speculation about the distance within the family.
Much of the attention has focused on Isabella and Connor’s involvement in the Church of Scientology, which Cruise also famously follows.
Nicole Kidman’s relationship with her older children has ‘changed,’ sources say
Amid rumors of tension, Isabella recently appeared to acknowledge her connection to her mother by professionally using the last name “Kidman Cruise” instead of just “Cruise.”
However, a source speaking to Women’s Day claimed that Kidman’s relationship with her adopted children has “changed” since her divorce from Keith Urban, and that now the actress is re-evaluating who she stays close to as she enters a new phase of life.
“Nicole is going through a rigid ‘selection’ period in which she is moving forward,” a source told the outlet. Sky News Australia.
They added: “Her trust issues have definitely been shaken, and she is only bringing people with a proven track record of loyalty into her next phase of life.”
Nicole Kidman once spoke about her adopted children’s decision to become Scientologists
Years before Kidman forgot about her adopted children in her Mother’s Day message, she had publicly expressed her love and support for all of her children.
In a 2018 interview with Who Magazineshe addressed her older children’s religious choices, saying that as adults, “they are capable of making their own decisions.”
The movie star also spoke about the duo’s decision to join the Church of Scientology like their father, Cruise, revealing that as a mother, all she can do is “love” them both despite their choices.
“They made the choice to become Scientologists, and as their mother, it’s my job to love them,” Kidman said at the time.
Keith Urban reportedly refused to “trash talk” with Nicole Kidman despite painful family division
Meanwhile, Urban has reportedly taken the high road following his split from Kidman, with insiders claiming the country star has refused to publicly criticize his ex despite feeling increasingly distant from their daughters.
According to a source who spoke with In touchUrban has “kept his side of the street clean” throughout the split and “does not criticize Nicole or accuse her of poisoning the children against him, even though…the cold reality is that they are not currently a part of his life.”
Court documents obtained by People Review reportedly showed that Kidman, 58, became the primary residential parent after the couple separated in September.
This arrangement would give the actress custody of the girls for most of the year, while Urban’s parenting time would be significantly more limited.
The insider claimed Urban agreed to the terms without starting a legal battle because he believed it was the best decision for the family at the time.
However, those close to the singer claim that “never in a million years had he envisaged such a brutal scenario”.
Keith Urban reportedly struggles as Sunday Rose publicly sides with Nicole Kidman
In recent months, Sunday Rose has frequently appeared alongside her mother at major public events, including Paris Fashion Week, the Met Gala and Chanel’s pre-Oscar celebration.
In a March interview with Elle Australia, the teen reportedly described Kidman as her “biggest inspiration in life.”
Fans also noticed that Sunday briefly unfollowed Urban on Instagram earlier this year, which was first reported by the Daily mail.
Sources close to Urban say seeing his daughters publicly embrace life with Kidman has been emotionally difficult for the singer.
Some people in her inner circle reportedly believe that the actress intentionally emphasized her close bond with the girls after the breakup.
“She’s like the cat that ate the canary right now, rubbing her happy life as a single parent in his face, and to almost everyone in Keith’s world, that’s just cruel and totally inappropriate,” the insider said.
